Prayers for Bobby : A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son

Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was " wrong" -Bobby chose to take his own life. "Prayers for Bobby", nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be " healed, " then anguished over hi suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth. As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, "Prayers for Bobby" is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere. " The value of the Griffith story ...is undeniable. [It] should be required reading for every parent, every school teacher, and anyone who has ever doubted that words can kill." - "The" "Washington Post" " This book will become an instant classic. And it will save lives of countless young people..." -- "The Advocate" " ...A heartrending story of two journeys: Bobby's spiral toward death and Mary's toward personal responsibility. Aarons has performed a major public service, as has the entire Griffith family-especially Bobby, whose death will surely save many others." "--Los Angeles Times" " The book is not a tragedy. Because of Mary Griffith's gutsy sensibility and her tireless efforts to help others "...Prayers for Bobby" is a book about hope." -- "San Francisco Chronicle" Non-fiction,Biography,Religion,Gay

Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was wrong-Bobby chose to take his own life.

Prayers for Bobby, nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be healed, then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.

As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

Library Journal

Mary Griffith prayed that her gay son Bobby would be healed. After his suicide, her anguish led her on a journey from faithful churchgoer to national crusader for gay and lesbian youth. (LJ 5/15/95)

"Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy. He was a nice, hardworking kid from the suburbs who attended church and was loved by his family. When at age fifteen he realized that he was gay, he came upon a conflict for which he found no solution: His family and his religion taught him that his sexual orientation was a sin." "Through Bobby's poignant journal entries, his mother's reminiscences, and Leroy Aarons's keen journalistic insight we relive the emotional torment that eventually led Bobby to take his own life"--Page 4 of cover "Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy. He was a nice, hardworking kid from the suburbs who attended church and was loved by his family. When at age fifteen he realized that he was gay, he came upon a conflict for which he found no solution: His family and his religion taught him that his sexual orientation was a sin." "Through Bobby's poignant journal entries, his mother's reminiscences, and Leroy Aarons's keen journalistic insight we relive the emotional torment that eventually led Bobby to take his own life."--Jacket I first learned of the Griffith family in a 1989 article in the San Francisco Examiner.